Orange County, California Wine Tasting Events Calendar Special Winemaker Dinners Anaheim Gayot

November 21
Spectrum Wine Auction house and collector Aubrey McClendon are teaming up to offer the Spectrum Wine Auctions Debut Auction, which will sell 5,500 bottles in 686 lots (3,900 from the Aubrey McClendon Collection). The lots will feature some of the best vintages of French Bordeaux and Burgundies, as well as Napa selections. The auction takes place at 5 p.m. at the St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach in Dana Point. For more information, visit http://www.spectrumwine.com. St. Regis Resort, Monarch Beach, One Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, CA 92629, 949-234-3200, 800-722-1543.

Through December 18
OC's most hip wine bar, ENO at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, is reprising its popular wine and chocolate tasting classes, where guests can interact with guest winemakers and chocolatiers. The fall/winter schedule features Tuscany Harvest (Oct. 9), Misunderstood Merlot (Oct. 23), Dallmann Chocolate (Nov. 6), Thanksgiving Wines (Nov. 20), New World Australian Whites and Reds (Dec. 11) and Christmas Delicates (Dec. 18). The classes start at 5:30 p.m. and cost $35 per person. Advance reservations are required. ENO, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, One Ritz-Carlton Dr., Dana Point, CA 92629, 949-240-2400.

Ongoing
The Costa Mesa Trader Joe's location on 17^th Street is the first TJ's store in the nation to offer a free wine tasting bar. Tasting hours are from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and noon-6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Two wines are featured each week. Trader Joe's, 640 W. 17th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, 949-642-5134.

Ongoing
Bacchus’ Secret Cellar in Irvine’s Quail Hill Center holds themed tasting events almost every day of the week, 2 p.m.-5 p.m. For information on upcoming tastings, visit www.bacchussecretcellar.com. Bacchus' Secret Cellar, 6735 Quail Hill Pkwy., Irvine, CA 92603, 949-502-4600.

Mondays
Five Crowns offers a specially-priced wine list on Monday evenings. Discounts of 20-40 percent are given to bottles that arrived with a missing or damaged label, or selections that have been recently dropped from the main wine list. Five Crowns, 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, CA 92625, 949-760-0331.

Tuesdays
Each Tuesday evening in its sophisticated NYC-style lounge, Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza hosts a wine tasting for $25. Each week offers a different theme, such as wines of Latin America, Spanish reds, Loire Valley favorites or American immigrant Zinfandels. Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza, Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, 714-352-2525.

Wednesdays
Every Wednesday evening from 6 p.m.-10 p.m., sip your choice from Palm Terrace's wine list at half the usual price for each bottle while dining on executive chef Bill Bracken's American cuisine. Palm Terrace, The Island Hotel Newport Beach, 690 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660, 949-760-4920.

Wednesdays
Calling all wine aficionados! Café Tu Tu Tango has an event just for you. Every Wednesday, every bottle of wine on the award-winning list is half-price. It's a great way to sample wines of the world. If you can grab a table on the patio, consider yourself lucky...and hang onto it all night. Café Tu Tu Tango, The Block at Orange, 20 City Blvd., Orange, CA 92868, 714-769-2222.

Wednesdays
The Vine Wine Country Cuisine holds weekly wine tastings every Wednesday at 7 p.m. A flight of four wines is paired with appetizers for $40. The Vine Wine Country Cuisine, 211 N. El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA 92672, 949-361-2079.

Thursdays
Bistango, Bayside’s sister restaurant in Irvine, does the same at Wine Tasting Thursdays. Bistango, 19100 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, CA 92612, 949-752-5222.

Sundays
The Loft at Montage Laguna Beach holds insider wine tastings and seminars on Sundays from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Called "The Artistry of Wine," each wine tasting features themed tastings such as "White Mountain," "Uncertain Weather," and "Dance on a Volcano," and is led by Montage's educated sommeliers. The cost is $35 per person and reservations are a must. The Loft, Montage Laguna Beach, 30801 Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651, 949-715-6000.

Orange County, CA Wine Tastings & Events